This year's honoree is an educator, author, composer and music education consultant and has been impacting the lives of of others for over three decades.

Her guidance as artistic director includes providing choral arts mentoring for music educators, pre-service music education majors and choral performance training for upper elementary, middle and high school singers.

Organizations she has touched with her many gifts include the Chicago Symphony, Chicago Public Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools, The Nashville Symphony, McGraw Hill Education, the W. O. Smith Nashville Community Music School, and the MET Singers, a youth choral ensemble representing Choral Arts Link, where she serves as Artistic and Executive Director.

(L to R) Margaret Campbelle-Holman, Executive Director, Choral Arts Link, Todd Wilson, Executive Director, The Nashville Singers, Inc., Laurie Schell, Director, Music Makes Us at Metro Nashville Public Schools

Her list of accomplishments and awards is lengthy. 

Nashville Singers Executive Director remarked, "When I need inspiration and someone to recharge my music leadership and education batteries, I reach out to Margaret Campbelle-Holman. When it comes to being a music educator and passionate advocate for the arts, she is one remarkable lady."     

The formal presentation of the award will take place at our Awards & Recognition Dinner on January 30th.

(photo by Doug Morrison)

A bunch of Nashville Singers members and significant others, along with Advisory Board Chair Sarah Beatty and her husband Gary gathered at Hermitage House Smorgasbord Restaurant on Thursday night for our 2013 holiday party. The good food, fun, fellowship, and relaxed atmosphere made for a great evening.

(photo by Todd Wilson)

Charter member Ric Domenico surprised us all with his own treatment of "A Night Before Christmas" which included lots of hilarity. Though there's some "inside humor, it's been posted below just for posterity.

Twas the Night Before Concert

by Ric Domenico

Twas the night before concert, and all through the hall, 

Not a creature was screaming, not even Schwalbe - at all.

The robes were hung in the choir room with care, 

While Harlan and Todd, just had a blank stare.

Our band hats were nestled like children in bed, 

While nightmares of marching band danced in our head!

And Grandma in her kerchief, and Grandpa in his cap, 

Removed their new hearing aids to catch a quick nap.

When out from backstage there arose such a clatter, 

I sprang from my riser to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I heard a loud crash, 

To see Travis slamming "that scrolling thing" in the trash!

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow 

Gave the luster of silent auction items below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, 

But our Christmas CD, in it's new, world premier.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

It was snowing outside, so it couldn't be Ric.

More rapid than eagles, his choristers they came,

And Todd whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

Now Lenny! Now Larry! Now Taylor! Now Timmy!

On Michael! On Douglas! On Harlan! (and Rodney).

To the top of the pitch! To the back of the wall!

Now sing away! Sing away! Sing away all!

As dry heaves that show up, with nerves that arrive,

When the bari's have a challenge, we hear "one, two three, four five."

So up to the house-top the choristers, they flew,

With a sleigh full of joy, (and Rodney too).  

And then, in a twinkling, I heard through his bag,

His groaning and moaning, concerning my tag.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around, 

Down the chimney came Rodney with a ..."bownd, ba oom pa

Doom pa, pa pa da pa pa da bound"

. 

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his toes,

And his clothes were all tarnished, with salsa from Moe's.

A huge sack of our coffee he flung on his back,

To recoup some money, since his furlough paid jack!

His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry! 

His cheeks were like roses - from sampling the sherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, 

Ready to sing "When She Loved Me" ....no, no, no, no....

An old pitch pipe he held tightly in his mouth, 

But Sloan played two different pitches, 

And our tuning went south.

He had a broad face, and a little round belly, 

That shook when he laughed when Schwalbe tooted,

And was it smelly!!  

We spoke not a word, but went straight to our work,

And stuffed all those programs - membership has its perks!

While raising his eye brows and striking a pose,

Sloan gave us a nod, and up the chimney we "Lo, How a Rose."

Todd sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And the tempo took off like a nuclear missile!  

But I heard him exclaim as we ended that night,

Merry Christmas to all, and may all your Christmases be white!

(photo by Todd Wilson)

From L to R - Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Glen Campbell, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine

December 23, 1964 - During a US tour Beach Boy Brian Wilson had a nervous breakdown during a flight from Los Angeles to Houston. Wilson left the band to concentrate on writing and producing. Glen Campbell replaced Wilson for the band's live shows.